Technical Assistance: the Building Blocks for Sustainable Communities Program

December 19, 2018 @ 5:00 pm EST

The Building Blocks for Sustainable Communities Program is pleased to accept applications for the 2019 technical assistance program! See below for more information on the application process.Please be advised that a letter of application needs to be turned in well before the deadline to receive input from the EPA before final submittal.

The Building Blocks for Sustainable Communities Program provides quick, targeted technical assistance to selected communities resulting in a robust, locally-focused, and collaboratively-developed action plan. Our Green and Complete Streets tool which will help communities to develop strategies and policy changes to build more pedestrian and bike-friendly streets that better manage storm water on-site.

The focus of this assistance will be an assessment of the existing conditions for four to six street locations in the community. Assistance will include options for incorporating a variety of green and complete street concepts and ideas into local practice and setting the policy and organizational framework to effectively implement green and complete street concepts. See EPA’s Green Streets webpage for more information. We encourage Urban Waters Federal Partnership Communities to apply.

Interested communities submit a two page letter of interest, in which they specifically outline how the tool is relevant to their community. The letter must be signed by, or accompanied by a letter of support from, a mayor, city manager, elected official, or other official government representative to signify the community’s partnership in this program and assistance.

EPA contacts the selected communities to schedule a workshop, discuss mutual expectations as well as roles and responsibilities, and review details about the program. EPA’s contractors, along with EPA headquarters and/or regional office staff, conduct a one-and-a-half-day workshop in the community, including a morning work session with local government officials and other key stakeholders, a tour of existing green infrastructure installations, an afternoon meeting with local government leaders, and an evening public workshop.